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How to buy car insurance online

Get online car insurance quotes and buy car insurance online now.

Everyone who drives a car needs some form of insurance, if not to cover the costs of damage to their own car, then at least to cover damage they cause to other people’s property. But the days of visiting an insurer or broker’s office or phoning them for a quote are numbered, as most people get quotes and buy car insurance online.

There are a lot of reasons to go online for car insurance:

Convenience. You can get a quote and buy insurance 24/7 on any device connected to the Internet.

Immediate cover. You can print out your policy at the point of purchase and be instantly covered.

Information. You can find the answers to your insurance questions easily online and for free.

Time savings. Online insurance comparison sites bring all the insurers and their policies together in one place for you to compare.

Money savings. Buying online is cheaper, as most insurers offer a discount for doing so.

What kind of cover can I get online?

Whether you buy online or across the counter, there are four main types of car insurance.

Compulsory third party (CTP) insurance. This is compulsory insurance every Australian driver must have to cover death or injury to third parties. It included in vehicle registration in all states except NSW, where it is called a Green Slip and must be purchased separately.

Third party property (TPPD) insurance. This covers you for damage your vehicle causes to other peoples’ vehicles and property. Buying third party car insurance online is easy because it’s relatively standardised and widely available.

Third party fire & theft (TPPD F&T) insurance. This covers damage to other peoples’ property, and fire and theft losses of your own vehicle. Because the costs depend on your vehicle more than they do for CTP or TPPD insurance, it can take a bit longer to buy third party fire and theft car insurance online.

Comprehensive insurance. The complete package that covers everything, including damage to your own vehicle and to other people’s property. If you’d like to buy comprehensive car insurance online it’s important to have all the information handy to better compare car insurance online.

How to buy car insurance online?

Follow these four steps to buy third party or comprehensive car insurance online.

Know what type of insurance you want. Do you want comprehensive, third party only or third party with fire and theft? Decide which you want, and then look for these policies alone.

Compare car insurance policies online. Once you know what you need, use an online car insurance comparison website to look at the options side by side. Don’t just look for the cheapest policy, however. First find one that is has everything you need. You may also wish to compare each insurer’s industry standing, claims record and level of customer service.

Review the options. Once you narrow your search down to a handful of policies that match your needs, read their Product Disclosure Statements (PDS) thoroughly to check for conditions or exclusions that might affect your level of cover.

Get car insurance quotes online. Once you are satisfied with your short list, get some online quotes. These are provided instantly on many insurers’ websites and only require the input of basic details such as age, type of car, parking location etc. Now you’re looking at several options that fit your needs and can compare them by price.

Once you’ve found the right policy for your needs and gotten quotes, you can simply buy car insurance online through comparison tools.

How can I save money on car insurance?

Whether you choose third party cover or full comprehensive will depend on your budget, the value of your vehicle and any loan requirements (some secured loans require comprehensive insurance as a condition of the loan). There are however, several ways you can reduce the cost of your premiums.

Buy online to earn a discount of up to 20%

Buy a car that is less expensive to insure (e.g. less horsepower, less likely to be stolen etc)

Nominate drivers, which usually earns you a discount

Restrict the age and number of drivers

Choose a Pay As You Drive option, if you don’t plan to drive much during the year

What questions should I ask before buying insurance?

The following is a checklist of questions you should ask your insurer before taking out a policy with them.

As well as the basic cover, what optional extras are available with my policy? Can you get cover for rental car, windscreen damage and roadside assistance?

What discounts am I entitled to? Does the insurer offer No Claim Bonus, loyalty discounts and low kilometre options?

What conditions and exclusions apply to my cover? Do they cover storm damage, young drivers and accidents involving uninsured third parties?

What customer service benefits do you offer? Do they offer an online portal, monthly payments or 24/7 help desk?

What should I look for in a policy?

CTP insurance is mandatory in Australia, and third party insurance is extremely important and should always be purchased. As such, one of the biggest questions is whether I should get comprehensive car insurance. These policies vary by insurer, but there are certain standard features which you can expect your policy to contain:

Flood, hail or storm damage

Malicious acts

Fire and theft

Accident or collision

Damage to third party property.

A good comprehensive policy will also include some or all of the following, or at the very least, offer them as optional extras:

Towing and storage costs after an accident

Use of a hire car while yours is being repaired

Windscreen replacement cover

Emergency travel, accommodation and repairs

Caravan and trailer cover

Legal liability cover up to $20 million.

A very good comprehensive policy could also include features such as:

Vehicle contents cover

Cover for wheels, rims and tyres

Lifetime Rating 1

24/7 roadside assistance.

Comparing policy features and comprehensive car insurance quotes online is a good way to get the cover and price that’s right for your needs.

Still have some questions?

According to the perceived risk you and your vehicle pose to the insurer. Risk factors include your address, where your car is parked, the age and gender of nominated drivers, your driving history and the type of vehicle you are insuring.

Any driver who could be driving your car. If someone is not listed and is driving your car at the time of an accident, you may have to pay additional excesses.

CTP is compulsory and covers death or injury to other people such as pedestrians, cyclists and other road users.

Statistics clearly show that drivers under 25 have more serious accidents (particularly young males) and insurers charge more accordingly.

Market value is the amount your car is worth on the open market, while agreed value is an amount you and your insurer agree will be paid to you if your car is written off.

Excesses you may have to pay include an age excess (usually if you are under 25), an undeclared driver excess (if the driver in an accident is not listed in your policy) and a voluntary excess (which you can nominate to reduce your premium).

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